


Song of Light and Dark

by Apollos_Emissary



Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Gen, Kala Tepej, Thane Sorez
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-10-05 14:15:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17326541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Apollos_Emissary/pseuds/Apollos_Emissary
Summary: The gates to the Dreaming City have been open for just under a week and its people are in dire need. A Hunter weary from the events of days passed aids by obligation, but perhaps he hopes to find something more from the land of his people.





	Song of Light and Dark

The airy hiss of corrupted ether hung in the air of the Divalian Mists as a void laced arrow hit home. A shift in the air barely visible against the far cliff face marked a Hunter beginning to make his descent as the Scorn body fell limp. His step hardly made a sound as he hopped down from perch to perch, cloak hardly kissing the cool rock until he landed upon the bare ground. The fog wreathed his slender form momentarily as he started off towards the main landmass. His angular helm sat veiled beneath a slouching hood with snakescale patterning. The remainder of his armor was fitting but functional; travelling light with few pockets. The only items visible on him were the concealed grip of a Veist sidearm and a small crystal talisman hooked to his belt.

He found a sort of safety in carrying the small statue, however not the same kind of safety he felt in the numbers of a fireteam. Not the safety felt from the weight of a hand cannon on a long journey. This was something more, a ward perhaps from something he could not figure out but impactful nonetheless. He felt like it belonged, and by proxy so would he, yet that appeared to have little effect. He'd noticed the occasional downward glance from the Queen's Guard every so often as he traded intel. The pause before addressing him in conversation. Could be nothing, he would tell himself, but that would hardly sate his mind.

The mists had thinned to nothing as he made his way to the Commando camp burrowed in the side of the shallow gully. He didn't bother nocking another arrow as he passed the massive entrance to the Dreaming City's heart, instead holding it out for his Ghost to stow away. Hostile activity had been low since he arrived, and the only threats that would arrive anytime soon would be the occasional Taken outburst, yet even their numbers were oddly thin that day.

He dismissed the thoughts as he approached the camp, catching a glance from the Commando on guard and giving a curt nod as he passed. She returned the gesture and kept watch, no stares there. Inside, three more Guards mulled about with their respective tasks. One closest to the entrance tapped on what he only imagined to be a terminal despite appearing to be just a tall blue rock. Her gaze lingered slightly even after their greeting, but he was more focused on the other that was standing beside a table of instruments and gadgets scrolling through a tablet. Another sifted through a crate of armaments, inspecting a long rifle before setting aside many others along the back wall.

He’d taken several scouting assignments from someone stationed at the camp, but with their uniforms being so similar, he was hard pressed to tell any of them apart without hearing a voice. He drifted towards to one with the tablet and took a gamble.

“Faye?” He called.

“Mmm no.” She replied flatly, not taking her eyes from her work.

He should have played it safe.

His eyes darted away for a moment as he cleared his throat. “Your name then?”

“I’m  _certain_ you didn't come here to make friends.”

The disdain in her voice alone almost made him turn to one of the others in the room to turn in his findings instead. But the urge was fleeting, simply dropping his amicable approach instead with voice low and airy.

“SOS response,” He sighed, “picked up a signal coming from atop the Eastern ridge just past the Gardens.”

She looked up from the tablet as he reached into the front most pocket at his waist. In his hand, a small badge of cloth and metal.

“Found one of yours a tad too late.”

Even with his cool tone, the latter of his words stung as a pang of grief shot through him. The idea pained him with the recent events. Loss was no stranger to him, but rarely had it been someone as close as their Vanguard.

“I see.” The corsair breathed, taking the tattered badge in hand.

There was a long pause before she tucked it away in one of her belt pockets.

“Kala, update the logs and notify Paladin Leona.”

“Yes, ma'am.” A younger voice responded from behind. The one at the crystal terminal he figured.

“Churi served us well.” A subtly solemn tone played beneath her words, though he could tell she attempted to hide them.

She turned silently to the table behind her and took a sidearm, presenting it to the Hunter.

“Here.”

He paused, eyes flitting from the weapon to the mask of the Corsair. Though ultimately kind, the gesture seemed devoid of genuine thanks.

“Don't act like you don't want it, Guardian.”

Her words were almost a sigh but still held a half sneer. As for him, he truly didn't want the weapon, but out of courtesy accepted the gift, despite its questionable emotional value.

Hesitantly taking the weapon in hand, the Corsair turned her shoulder and resumed her task, promptly ending his welcome. With his mood soured he stowed the weapon and turned to exit, only taking a few steps before hearing her snicker beneath her breath.

“All the same.”

He stopped for a moment, pricks of irritation prodding his mind as he reached up to his helm. Light glinted from his thin visor as he slid his helmet off and his jet black hair fell into place. His starlit skin glowed dimly beneath his hood and lime green eyes glared brightly back at the Corsair.

“Excuse me?” Cold venom lacing his words. She seemed unfazed at his revelation, simply turning back to the table.

“I find no need to explain to you, _Guardian_.”

His lips twisted at her jab. It was not a title to be ashamed of, but he despised being reduced to their warped construct.

“Perhaps when you begin to think about those around you instead of solely trying to feed your insatiable greed. Perhaps when you open your eyes to the consequences of your actions you will understand. I pray that day come swiftly.”

He stood, eyes still fixed to the Corsair who wouldn't even look at him as she spoke. He stood filled with icy enmity. He stood, as the room fell acutely silent as her offense hit home.

“Is that what Churi would have said?”

He saw her visibly flinch.

“There have been more like her in our ranks than I would ever want to count. But still, here I am along with many others. Dying over and _over_ so you don't have to. I didn't come here for petty loot, but if you can't respect our sacrifice then you can have a crack at your losing battle _alone._ See how far you get.”

The Corsair kept at her task, back turned as his words hung in the air. He exhaled and turned heel, a whip of his cloak as he stalked towards the camp’s exit. She was not the first to show disdain for Guardians and she certainly would not be the last. He'd heard it before in the final curses of Eliksni fanatics, muttered in discontent in run down bars of the City, and from insurrectionists blinded by twisted stories and false accusations. Fueling the mindset that those who sacrificed the most to protect and serve are nothing but self-centered demigods driven by glory and bounty.

Even still, to him, being a Guardian was much more than the simple protector that he referred to. Being thrown into the broad world of Light and Dark brought about its own challenges and questions. Facing forces that could shake one’s fundamental beliefs in the function of the Universe. It was a life of making decisions that test morality and answering questions that nobody else could. It was a life that even for those gifted to burden, were ill prepared for and not guaranteed to survive.

“Don’t let Minara get to you.” The younger voice was almost a sigh as he passed, another step and he wouldn't have heard it.

He stopped, looking over his shoulder to the Corsair that tended to the tall crystal terminal. His gaze instinctively went to meet hers, but he only found her blank visor that had taken the moment’s glance from her work.

“Somewhere in there she's thankful.”

He almost stayed silent, hints of irritation lingered under his skin but this one had done nothing to warrant hostility.

“She's got a hell of a way of showing it.”

His aggravated huff came off with a half jest, just enough to soften the remark.

A tilt of her head in frank agreement, “She’s definitely not our most charming but she's got good where it counts.” Her tone dipped as she continued, “Besides, things have been hard for us ever since Uldren let that… _thing_ loose.”

His gaze dropped for a moment as the events of the past week flashed through his mind, “You don't know the half of it.” he breathed.

Another glance from the Corsair before looking back to the terminal. Voices began to stir in the camp again, relieving the tension in the air. Her next words were more relaxed as she finally addressed him.

“Thane.”

His eyes flitted up to her again at hearing his name.

“That's your name, yeah?”

A brief surprise crossed his face, “Yeah. How’d you know?”

Her mouth was covered by her helm, but he got the feeling she'd cracked a smirk.

“You're not the only one who tries to keep track of names.”

He stepped towards her, closing the awkward gap that previously separated them. Now that he was closer, she was much shorter than him, the top of her helmet just reaching his chin.

“That still doesn't explain much.” He prodded.

“You're one of the more consistent errand boys that come through here and Faye’s voice carries.” He could feel her gaze look him up and down with the subtle dip of her head. “Kinda hard not to take notice after a while.”

She brought a laugh out of him, a small amused puff from the nose. “Lucky you huh?”

“Still haven't figured that part out yet.”

“Need some help?”

A snicker from behind her mask, “Cute. I've got it, thanks.”

The remnants of his earlier quarrel had begun to quickly thin as he found himself becoming more and more relaxed in her presence.

“Kala right?”

“Mhm.” Her gaze stayed fixed forward as her fingers worked the terminal, a tease following after. “First one right of the day?”

“Well it'd be easier if I had a face to put to the name.” He hummed.

For a split second he worried he'd crossed a boundary when her fingers stopped their dance. Subtle relief came over him as she reached her hands up to the sides of her helm and pushed in the releases that sat just below her ears. The thick metal visor that veiled her eyes sprung upwards over her forehead and the lower faceguard slid down to rest just at her chin, revealing her pale face.

Her bright teal eyes were the first of her features he noticed, sharply lined but not overdone. Her hair was pure white, mostly pulled back – or in the case of her thick bangs – tucked behind her ear yet still managing to graze her right eye. Her skin was a soft white with hints of lavender undertones. The royal violet face paint that covered her brow was mostly veiled behind her locs, meaning all that was visible were a sharp plum line dashed down the bridge of her nose with specks accenting either side as well as beneath the corners of her eyes.

He blinked as a flash of warmth shot through him, holding her gaze until she spoke.

“Better?”

He took the shortest of pauses, “Much.”

A warm smile spread across her slender face as her eyes wandered across his face, almost expectantly.

“What?” he chuckled.

“Your turn.” She chirped with the slightest rise in her eyebrows.

He wasn't sure what she meant for a moment as he had long since removed his helmet. In fact he still held it clearly in his right hand. Of course, his hood was still up, shrouding his face just enough for his features to be lost in the fickle lighting. Something he hardly thought of as it was common even in safe spaces for Hunters to remain hooded.

With his free hand, he pulled back his hood and the outside light clearly lit his face. Skin still soft and youthful, a pallid bluish grey without a trace of stubble. The majority of his features were as sharp as the spiky black hair that fell back as his hood dropped. Two thin locs were all that curved over his even brow. His keen lime eyes had softened ever so slightly as Kala took him in, her gaze wandering over the cupid's bow of his lip down to the four black lines struck diagonally across both cheeks down to his sharp jaw.

“Better?” He mirrored as she looked up at him.

She let out the softest of chuckles before affirming, “Much.”

For a moment, Thane found himself at a loss for words until the sound of his favorite Corsair’s voice could be heard from within the camp. They both turned to glance at Minara speaking with the other Corsair who had been sorting weaponry. They seemed to be debating something, but from their distance it was impossible to make out details. It did little to sate the distaste that rose like bile within him.

“So was her ex a Guardian or something?”

Kala looked back at him with a quizzical amusement on her face as he continued, “I mean, that's one of the roughest ‘thank you’s I've gotten in a while. If you can even call it that.”

She almost laughed as she started,“No, no. At least as far as I know.” Her features darkened as she continued, still gazing at the two bickering. “She just seems to see you all as more of a curse than a blessing.”

Her bright teal eyes visibly grew dimmer and her fingers laced themselves together as she kept on, “The Taken War well… _took_ a lot from the Reef and she lost her team at the Battle of Saturn. It's always been hard for us out here, but without Mara…” She trailed off, taking a deep breath to regain her composure.

“Anyways, ever since we came to help your City with the stave off the Fallen, trouble seemed to follow.” A slight shrug, “Then she heard some of you were responsible for Oryx's arrival. That's about all she needed to hear before her mind was made. It’s all on you Guardians. At least the reckless ones she saw flood the Reef after the House of Wolves got brave. It would have been better for us to leave Earth be.”

The lids of her eyes had sunk low, looking at nothing in particular as she kept on, “It’s easy to follow. I did too for a while.” She looked back up at him, a slow, solemn flick of the eyes, “But Queen Mara sees something in you. Despite all we’ve lost, she hasn’t pushed you away.”

He listened to her intently, his eyes glued to every expression, every subtle rise and fall of her brow, every careful breath. But something stuck out to him.

His next words were careful, almost a question. “You talk about the Queen as if she's still alive.”

Kala had looked up at him when he spoke, but her eyes quickly fell away.

“Anyways.” She breathed, “I've since seen the good you all can do, and ultimately you've always came to the Reef’s aid when we needed it. I can't say whether we're out of the stones yet, but I'm grateful for your help.”

He watched as her expression lightened, “Should go much smoother now, that way you can get back to fighting your cosmic time lords or whatever.”

Ironically, her joke wasn’t too far from the truth, but he couldn’t help but crack a smile regardless. “You know that’s not how that goes.”

She gave a playful shrug, “That’s what I hear.”

“It doesn’t have to be the only thing you hear.” He hummed in return.

There was something else in her eyes as she gazed up at him, a flirtatious smirk spreading across her face in company. “What might that mean, mister?”

His eyes matched hers as a smirk of his own grew, “Could mean I’d like to show you what Guardians are really like,” a thoughtful blink, “maybe share a few good stories when this is all over.”

Stories were not his main interest and Kala was no fool. One of her hands toyed with her belt as her hips swayed to one side, “As long as you’re buying.”

His eyebrows rose, “Who said anything about drinks?”

“I did. Just now.”

He paused, her demand taking him by surprise and in that shortest of pauses when he didn't answer right away, she took that moment to raise her eyebrows to mock his surely puzzled expression. He quickly wiped the look from his face and put himself back in the action as if their quips were a battle of wits. A battle he was now losing.

“Alright then.” he passed his helm from his right hand to his left before putting his hand out to shake. After a moment, she took it almost sternly but his grasp was much gentler, pulling her closer and cradling her hand in his.

With a sly smile between barely parted lips, he hummed. “We have a deal.”

She hardly resisted the tug he gave, eyes never leaving his as her expression passed from surprise to captivation. As he finished, a victorious smile settled in with a subtle rise of her chin.

Their moment of affirmation wouldn't last long as the young Corsair had pushed aside her duties for a moment too long. The voice from the back of the camp was harsh and short.

“Kala!”

She flinched her hand away and snapped to look at the senior corsair.

“Yes ma'am?”

“That report needs to be sent _today_.”

Thane had turned his head to Minara as she spoke and looking back to Kala, he could tell she was thinking other things than the respectful reply she gave.

“On its way now ma'am.”

She dragged her gaze over him as she turned back to her terminal. He almost spoke but Kala reached up to the side of her helmet and tapped twice.

“23-5.” Her eyes flicked up to his one last time. “Don't miss me.”

With that she pressed the sides of her helm and the parts of her facemask slid back into place. Any semblance of their potential chemistry was gone in an instant as she snapped back to her work. Thane knew that was his cue to get moving, yet he lingered for a moment longer. In that moment she was no different from the countless others he had come across that week. Seemingly now hard to imagine her being the same person who was so lively mere seconds ago.

He was used to working with individuals that went to great lengths to express themselves with their appearance. More accustomed with being able to instantly identify who he was looking for from their armor alone. After a time, an eye like his could tell a Guardian’s personality without speaking a word to them. But here, those concepts had been thrown to the wind, with vibrant expressions and mannerisms stifled behind their tight uniforms.

The moment’s thoughts passed and he turned to make his way outside, sliding his helmet back into place. He could vaguely make out the growls of an approaching Scorn patrol just beyond the shallow hill ahead and he reached for his weapon. His Ghost provided his bow – a personalized recurve – effortlessly but not without appearing at his right shoulder immediately after.

Thane had his eyes trained to the source of sounds as he climbed the slope and didn't notice the expectant gaze from his companion.

“We're not getting ourselves too distracted now are we?”

Her jeer shot surprise through him as his attention snapped over to her.

“Hey, hey!” He hissed, pushing her lower with his free hand. “Get back down!”

She let out a disgruntled huff before vanishing back into his armor. However, her question remained unanswered and patience was not one of her strengths.

The Hunter brought his hand to the bowstring and she transmatted the carbon-forged arrow between his fingers. A delicate motion that took quite some time to master between the two, radically hastened by the bond they had shared for decades.

His step hardly made a sound as he overlooked the hill, finding a Chieftain and a Raider inspecting one of the bodies he had fell as he passed through previously. Two more Lurkers bearing scraped together bucklers wandered aimlessly nearby. They would hardly cause a challenge on their own, but the numbers they could potentially bring were nothing to bat an eye at.

“You didn't answer my question.”

His Ghost chimed through his comms breaking his focus yet again.

“It _seriously_ can't wait?” He groaned as he lowered to a crouch, taking aim at the Chieftain before she cut back in.

“You _seriously_ don't think you can easily do both?”

He pulled to full draw as he murmured in response. “Just because I can doesn't mean I want to.”

He let the string slip and the arrow cut clean through the Chieftain's shields, lodging itself into the mutant’s skull. The body fell limp but its shields recoiled in a blast of Void that silenced the Raider at its side. A sense of clarity washed over him as he gained focus from the kill and he quickly vanished into stealth. The other two Scorn cried in anger and searched for their hidden assailant who currently pressed himself to the side of a tree. He let loose another arrow and the hiss of Ether confirmed his kill.

“Do you like her?”

His Ghost’s childish prod came right as he reached full draw and his subsequent flinch broke his concentration. When the arrow came off, it bounced off the last Scorn’s shield hardly even staggering the small mutant.

“ _Tekla!_ ”

He growled as he dashed from behind cover as the enemy fired bolts of blue in return. He didn’t bother nocking another arrow, instead dropping his bow entirely as he reached for the sidearm at his waist. Acting on instinct he dropped low, popping shots of hissing Void into the Lurker's exposed legs as he slid under the incoming fire. It let out a screech as it fell to the ground, exposing its head and the finishing blow came with a single trigger pull.

Standing over the lifeless husk, he holstered his pistol and opened his palm with an expectant glower. Sparks of Light flickered as Tekla formed, returning his gaze with a subtly mischievous tilt in her optic. Her shell was unique, easily recognizable as Vestian in design but with a white accent line across her otherwise uniform silver-blue shell.

“Are you done?” Thane shot with annoyance.

“Maybe once you answer literally any of my questions.” She sang back, her back nodes fidgeting incessantly.

A sigh from the Hunter as he began to retrieve his arrows, “No. There, I answered both.”

“Wow, you almost fooled me with that one.”

Thane's fingers curled around the shaft of an arrow lodged in the throat of a Lurker.

“See, why was any of that necessary if you already know the actual answer?” He wriggled the arrow loose and Tekla floated over humming with pride.

“Because it’s much more satisfying to hear you say it.”

His eyes rolled behind his visor, but as he wiped the sickly blue Ether from his arrow, his irritation began to wane. He paused for a moment, fiddling with the broadhead. “I threw out a line and she took a bite.” He began frankly, handing off the arrow to her as he rose. “Whatever happens from here, happens.”

His bow still lay near the tree behind him and when he turned to look, Tekla was already on her way to retrieve it for him. His eyes lingered momentarily before continuing, sauntering over to the dead Chieftain. “Might never see her again.” he kneeled and retrieved the arrow, his last words lowered “Nothing’s set in stone.”

Another pause as a wave of grief began to swell in his chest. His wounds were still fresh and he found himself falling into memory time and time again. Late nights, joking voices, poker chips, sharp blades. A bond of Light, a hard goodbye, a hand of cards, a family.

“Helloooo?”

Tekla's voice seemed to penetrate the fog that momentarily took hold of his mind. He'd hardly noticed his grip pressing the arrowhead's edge against his thumb. Had it not been for his undersuit, another cut would have marred his pallid flesh.

“Seriously, I've met newborns with longer attention spans than you.”

His Ghost's playful chide went unaddressed as Thane silently passed the newly retrieved arrow from his right to the others bundled in his left. They clattered harshly as he rose, and when her optic fell upon his helm, she too fell silent. His face was impossible to see, but still she knew. A door had been closed, solemnly and purposefully.

She knew not to knock.

But she didn't have to.

He felt something, as if becoming suddenly aware of a presence nearby. Over the ridge, by the crystalline cliffside. Instinctively his eyes flitted up to see a robed figure gazing at her surroundings, and the words he spoke were unintentionally vocalized.

 

“Was she always right there?”


End file.
